Cruising for a Celebrity Chef Experience AND an amazing family holiday

When you hear the word cruise, you immediately envision a sense of relaxation, of peace, warm sunshine, cool breezes, exciting cocktails, sarongs and time slowing down.

You can hear the kids giggling as they play and imagine the endless amounts of amazing food and entertainment.

Ok, some parents (insert grin) might also smile in glee at the thought of kids happily entertained in kids clubs so they can enjoy some adult relaxation too like restaurant eating and deck lounging with a good book, going to the gym, walking about deck, having a nap without, "Hey mum, mum can you, mum look at, mum she hit me... every 3 seconds haha!!
Going on a cruise is like the ultimate family holiday I am sure, something for everyone packaged into a really safe way to travel where everything is taken care of for you, you don;t have to worry, you don't have to cook, you don't have to wash up, you don't have to rush, you can de-stress.

3 years ago we went on a holiday to spend some time with family on the opposite end of the country, and this was wonderful but this also involved for me as a single mother, a 2 hour car trip at very, very early hours of the morning, then airport navigation carrying a little one on one hip and one hand on another one and organising tickets, luggage, drinks, snacks, kids entertainments, jackets, shoes, toilet stops, Then a long flight with one child screaming for at least 40 minutes, both getting restless, one putting stickers on the sleeping man next to me, frequent toilet visits in that cramped space, drinks spilt, that was followed by another 5 hour drive to our destination which involved about 2 hours of crying from a fed up toddler, a few lovely days spent with family before doing it all in reverse but throwing in a flight change and a 30 minute window to dash from one connecting plane to another and onto a final plane with no entrainment causing cross kids and then waking up kids to get them off planes and drag them on another road trip home after so much rushing about already. I came home stressed, delighted to have spent time with my family, but stressed and realising wow, travelling with young kids is full on...

This is why honestly, myself, my kids and my mother are planning on taking a cruise ourselves soon as my kids next big holiday experience, I think travel wise it is going to be a holiday we can actually relax on and it leaves from Sydney which is just a short flight away! Yay
I know from friends that have done them with kids that a cruise is going to be perfect and is one where we can spend time just laughing, eating, having fun and relishing the moments. Where the kids are completely catered for and have the best time, which means happy kids = relaxed mum!

Going on a cruise.

It feels like the perfect holiday already, but imagine combining all of that with the utter thrill of a celebrity chef restaurant experience too...where do I sign up???

YES, that's right.

As if going on a cruise wasn't enough fun already now, with cruise agency you can actually book into a celebrity chef restaurant experience while on your cruise!

From Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant to Salt Grill by Luke Mahon to Share by Curtis Stone

Food is one of the biggest memories you take away from you when you travel.

I have often heard it said that one of the things people tend to remember most when they go on holiday, travel is the food.

I absolutely love the idea of not just enjoying a family holiday but having something like this to look forward as a special highlight, imagine, Jamie O's Italian food!!
I'm hungry just thinking about it!

Have you been on a cruise?

Bek xo

*images courtesy of Cruise Agency.
*Sponsored Post, Opinions my own. especially about going a cruise, I have literally been working on manifesting that and planning my deck lounging outfits ;)

The Edible Garden Adventure Begins at Woolworths with Jamie Oliver's Garden Collectibles

As a passionate horticulturalist, real food cooking presenter and mum I was thrilled when I was contacted about the new Woolworths Jamie's Garden Collectibles.
Already a long time fan of the inspirational Jamie Oliver I was just so delighted about these new collectibles and stickers from Woolworths inspiring kids with the incredible world of food. Growing food, cooking food and seeing food as the amazing and beautiful part of our lives that it can be.

"The Jamie's Garden Collectibles range includes 128 stickers featuring fresh produce and garden animals with special effects such as 3d, thermal ink and scratch and sniff technology.
Children can keep track of their stickers in a special scrapbook-style album with interesting facts, puzzles and kid friendly recipes that teach children about healthy nutrition, fresh ingredients and the origin of food.

There are also eight of Jamie's super power fruit and vegetables plush toys to collect as well as gardening tools and a nifty tin to keep stickers safe.
What did my kids think of it all?
Well lets just say that there was serious sibling rivalry going on over who got the Super Broccoli Man and who got the sticker album!! Yes, absolute hit with my two, even with their 5 year age difference (and yes, looks like I will be getting a second album and plush toy and more stickers ASAP!)
So I can say these will no doubt be an even bigger hit than the previous  hero's Woolworths cards and how exciting for us parents this time too, not only seeing our kids excited about something and collecting things and interested in things outside electronics but they are excited and its all about real food and growing food!!!

I am so excited about these because I believe, every time a child wants to grow something edible at home, even a single tomato plant, a whole new door to an exciting healthy life begins for that whole family!

And kids just really do love to eat vegetables that they themselves helped to grow, they just do!

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